Little Potted Plant
by subseeker
Summary: Special… a small voice made itself known in his mind, whispering to him through the voices around him. The gaze of those grey eyes… breaking away… the shyness of a newborn friendship echoing between them. (Shandy, AU, slash, Copper-verse)
1. Chapter 1

Now, this one came to my mind and I thought, why not give it a try?

It's an offspring of the Copper-verse, a little something about Stephen and Randy being partners and, you know, the attraction between them. Will be a two or three part fiction, not sure yet.

It has nothing to do with Tainted and Twisted, totally different style and mood in here.

Maybe you'll like it nevertheless :)

Enjoy, everybody!

And: Hope it can lighten your mood a bit, Sunshine :-*

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… _homo… queer…_

_Fag._

_Pervert. Sick._

… _don't let him get close to your ass…_

… _if he comes too close just say a word and we'll remind him to keep his dirty hands to himself…_

_Voices, hushed, urge him and heads, nodding subtly yes to make him agree._

_His eyes… finding a person on the other side of the room, sitting in his office. Grey eyes that meet his. Now sharp, clear and knowing eyes. Yet with a gaze so gentle. Eyes which belong to a man who no one wants to be partnered up with. A man who openly admits to be gay._

_The man who has just been named to be his new partner._

_A smile, so soft. A smile as soft… on his own lips._

_Special… a small voice makes itself known in his mind, whispering to him through the voices around him._

_The gaze of those grey eyes… breaking away… the shyness of a newborn friendship echoing between them._

_He looks back to the faces surrounding him. Faces he's known for years now. Colleagues. Some of them so-called… friends. _

_His voice is low as he speaks, like a faint, threatening soundtrack that carries words that leave no room for misunderstandings._

"_Touch him and I'm gonna make yer regret it for the rest of yer life."_

_And the voices around him… fall silent…_

"I know this sounds cheesy, but thank yer for being the best partner one could wish for and the best friend I've ever had." Stephen said quietly but with all his heart as he held his beer out towards Randy to clink glasses. "Sláinte, bro …"

There was a clicking sound as Randy brought their glasses together, smiling that very smile that never ceased to warm Stephen heart. It was their anniversary today. One year had passed since they had been partnered up and it had been a goddamn good year. In fact it had been the best year of his life. Within a ridiculous short time they had become best friends, Siamese Twins practically.

Randy was… special.

"No, thank _you_," Randy replied as quietly, emotions quivering underneath as spoke. "Thank you for being the best partner in this world. Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being there for me…" He cleared his throat but he did not break gazes. "Sláinte."

What got most to Stephen in moments like this one was that it made him even more aware that when it came to him, Randy let all his walls down. When no one else was around them, his friend allowed himself to be vulnerable.

I trust you. I know you're gonna be there to catch me. Always.

"It's been a rough year, huh?" Randy mumbled absentmindedly, looking down at his glass, yet not because his eyes seemed to gaze into the past.

Stephen let his eyes roam his friend's face, a thing he'd done uncountable times already. A thing that happened more often lately. He knew every line, every mark on Randy's face. He knew how those grey eyes seemed to become cutting sharp when Randy was deeply focused, as if he wanted to cut the truth out of a picture, out of words or a suspect. He knew when Randy didn't believe something, because his eyebrow would furrow barely noticable and his nostrils would flare a bit. And he also knew that when the right corner of his friend's mouth twitched ever so slightly, that he was uncertain about something. Stephen knew all those little things and so much more about this man, knew him in and out, just as Randy knew him.

"Yeah, it was," he agreed, because it hadn't been easy. "But it has been the best year of me life. Thanks to yer."

Randy looked up to him, the grey orbs glinting at him from under dark lashes, speaking to him, whispering that Randy felt the same. These eyes could be like doors to Randy's soul if he only allowed those doors to open.

It had already been rather quiet in the pub and the table they were sitting at was in a quite shielded corner of the room, but now the whole room seemed to quieten even more as the lights faded off to a half-light. The music changed to Irish Folk. It was an Irish pub after all and that little piece of home, even if it was only a beer from his home country or some music, was a bit of a getaway for Stephen. The mood of dimmed light, hushed surroundings and floating music softened the mood in the room to a point where it became… lulling.

Stephen didn't hear it, but he saw Randy sigh, watched as his friend's chest rose in a deep, deep breath and fell then, those grey eyes closing as Randy breathed out. And Stephen watched his partner. His friend. Watched him with affection humming in his chest, strong enough to make his whole body sing. And he watched as the features on the handsome face became smooth. Happiness and contentment radiated off his friend.

He watched him. Because he could not _not_ do it.

Handsome. Well-built. Intelligent. Funny. Caring. Warm-hearted. Loyal. Reliable. This all came to Stephen's mind when he thought of this man, this and so, _so_ many more things.

It still wouldn't get into his brain why some people hated Randy because he was gay. How could an unimportant fact like this outweigh all the beautiful things Randy was?

"_What's wrong with you, Farrelly? Defending a fucking pervert like him? We don't need fags like him here!"_

_Stephen hears the words, hears a man he has called a friend ever since he has put his foot in this department say this… about the man who is his partner, his friend now._

"_Shut yer puss!"_

_His own words as he takes a step closer. Threatening. Daring. To say something stupid again. But a hand on his chest stops him, the frame of his friend partly blocking his view as Randy steps between Stephen and the other man. _

"_It's okay, Stephen. He's not worth it."_

_Randy stands with his back to their… colleague… to show that he gives a flying fuck about the provocation, the insults, but Stephen doesn't like it. He fucking doesn't like it. He knows that here in the department will not happen anything, yet it's the feeling of not being able to block any kind of bodily attack on his friend the way they stand here now, with Randy's back vulnerable open to the other man. _

_It's Randy's voice that dims the rage that simmers in him, his eyes, knowing, pacifying, which soothe him._

_He allows the hand on his chest to gently steer him backwards, away from the boiling tension which is close to snapping, but while he follows Randy's silent plea, his eyes stay fixed on the man who, although only verbal… for now… has dared to 'touch' Randy. Again._

_Do this again. Touch him. With words, with your filthy hands. No matter how. Touch. Him. I dare you. I'm gonna make your life a hell._

_It's what his eyes tell the other man and Stephen feels a certain satisfaction as the man pales…_

The time before Randy had been transferred to the department had been hell for him and the first weeks at their department now hadn't been much better. Because he was gay. His… colleagues… had dissed him… had worked him over. And in the end they had won and Randy applied for a transfer.

In the first two weeks things had been okay, but his past had followed him and caught up with him. Two weeks. One partner. What happened then was a cop thing, one cop knew the other and suddenly everyone knew that the new guy was a fag and Randy… he faced the rumors and stood tall, simply stating that, yes, he was gay.

Another two weeks. Three partners. And with every day Randy looked more and more depressed. He took every side blow, every bitter insult and shrugged it off. Or at least he wanted to make people believe that he did. But Stephen had eyes and he'd watched the man nobody liked. He'd seen it… how it all cut deep, wore him down.

And once more Randy had been called to the captain's office, knowing that it meant he would get another partner. And he did.

_Wary grey eyes meet open blue ones. _

"_This is your new partner, Orton. Detective Stephen Farrelly. Now haul your asses out of here and Orton, get your stuff to Farrelly's office."_

_He sees the wary eyes cloud over with resignationm sees the other man nod before he turns around to leave to office. Stephen follows his new partner in silence, stops for a second as Randy turns left to make his way to his own desk, watches him for another second, before he walks over to his own office. His eyes fall on the empty place at the big desk, the one that had been occupied until yesterday. By the man who had been his partner until yesterday._

_He hears a quiet sound, turns around and finds Randy standing there, a small box with only few things in his hands and Stephen somehow knows that Randy doesn't have more stuff, because he has never gotten the chance to… be, to feel at home in this department. Like, to bring his own mug along and silly little potted plant like fern maybe. A book for a coffee break. Things like that._

_He steps aside, gives the way to the empty place free and Randy walks up without looking at him. The box is set on the desk. And Randy runs a hand over the used surface, a silent sigh on his lips. Stephen says nothing, not yet, as he goes over to the door to close it but he thinks that the other man looks somehow forlorn, lonely. The expression on his face is a resigned one, as if he likes this new place but knows that he won't be here for long. _

_And then Randy flinches as the door falls shut and Stephen doesn't want to think what kind of experiences could make a tough looking guy like Randy flinch because of a door being closed._

_The silence is thick, gets even thicker as his new partner looks up to him. Waiting. Probably to hear insulting words or even a threat._

"_I know tha the past weeks have been tough for yer and I can't even imagine how it must've been at the department where yer've been before," Stephen begins quietly but friendly, hopes that his voice sounds trustworthy, but he sees the other man's eyes cloud over again with wariness. Randy crosses his arms over his chest but it's more a hugging himself than anything else. "But tha's over now, okay? I know those guys out there are bastards but I'm not one of them." He pauses. Smiles. Hopes that Randy can accept that there is someone who's not like the others. "I asked the captain to partner us up. Yer can trust me, Randy."_

_For the briefest of moments there is a flicker in the grey orbs and the wariness… slowly fades, leaving cautiousness behind, but also a tinge of relief._

"_Uhm… how about I'll leave yer a few minutes alone in here so yer can breathe through? I'll go and get us some coffee. Yer like it black, one sugar, right?" he asks and into the cautiousness and the tinge of relief trickles surprise._

_He knows how Randy likes his coffee because he has watched him for a while now._

"_I… yeah," Randy replies almost shy and Stephen smiles a bit brighter, before he turns around to leave the room. The door already jumps open as he hears his new partner ask hesitantly: "Why?"_

_Why do you want me to be your partner? It may not be spoken out aloud but it's what clings to the single word._

"_Because I like yer," Stephen simply states, his voice soft yet serious, because it's the truth._

_He doesn't know this man, has never exchanged a word with him until now but what he knows, what he has known from the beginning is that he likes him. Why? Who cares, he surely doesn't and he also does not want to question it._

"_And now sit down and make yerself at home. I'll be back in a few minutes with the coffee. Need anything else?"_

_Shaking his head slightly no, Randy only stares at him. And then Stephen leaves the room, closes the door to give Randy a bit of time alone and when he steps up to the percolator it's a handful of his colleagues who follow him, surround him, talk at him. Telling him that they would make sure that the pervert would keep his hands to himself and it makes him sick to hear what they tell him. Looking up and over to his office, he finds Randy sitting at the desk, gazing right back at him. He smiles and Randy smiles, too, and he feels that there is this special chemistry between them._

_And while he keeps looking at the other man, he speaks, his voice distant to his own ears and threatening, matching his words perfectly: "Touch him and I'm gonna make yer regret it for the rest of yer life."_

The harassment had stopped after that moment. Well… every now and then there was a comment or a gaze from the others but the fact that Stephen had Randy's back was enough for most of the group of bullies among their collagues to snap their mouth shut quickly.

Slipping a bit deeper in his chair, Stephen lets his eyes wander over his friend. He loved this man. Not the romantic kind of love… although there was a certain… attraction… Randy was a good-looking guy with the body of a greek god. Even a straight man had to give his looks credit. And then those eyes, always speaking to him. Beautiful eyes. Sexy eyes. Just like that crooked little smile Randy flashed him so often.

Stephen had always been with girl and the idea of being with a man had never really come to his mind, maybe because he'd never met the right guy. Who knew? He wasn't averse to the idea though and the funny thing was that Randy had been the one who made him realize that. The attraction between them was there, had built up over the past year and it had reached a quality that was… interesting.

The image of a shirtless Randy appeared in his mind, of bronze skin, shimmering softly in the sunlight. The glistening of a thin sheen of sweat. Cat-like movements and chiseled muscles flexing under the sun-kissed skin. And a humming, making the air between them vibrate. A simple game of basketball, a few days ago. Heated bodies, bumping into each other, slick skin gliding over slick skin. Strong arms, holding on to bodies… hands, grabbing, feeling… breathy little sounds…

He'd found himself holding on to Randy maybe a bit too long, had enjoyed having this hard yet soft body being pressed against his own maybe a bit too much. But Randy hadn't been complaining about it. On the contrary, he seemed to seek body contact.

There had been moments before when the attraction had made itself known stronger than usually, but their little game of basketball had started as only that, a game, and it had ended in a dance, a foreplay almost.

His musing was interrupted as Randy opened his eyes again, gazing at him with a deep, gentle expression but underneath was lying something else. It was burning, that something. Stephen felt Randy hook his feet behind one his own, trapping his leg between his knees. Possessive.

The music washed over them while they gazed at each other and the dimmed light cocooned them in a soft shimmer. The humming became stronger again, graspable almost and Stephen felt his heart run a bit quicker as he allowed himself to step through the doors to Randy's soul, knowing he could get lost in the depths behind them… but he didn't care.

His voice was just loud enough not to get lost in the music as he said: "Yer are a beautiful creature, Randy Orton…"

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**Liked it? Let me know :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Now, finally it's done. Took me a while…

I hope that you guys will like it and I also hope the Queen of Shandyliciousness will be gracious to me ;)

Enjoy!

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The something blazed up for the briefest of moments and Stephen felt his leg being pulled towards Randy ever so slighlty, but a trace of bitter sadness washed over the other man's face at the same time.

"Huh… I can't even remember the last time someone said something like this to me," Randy replied barely audible as his gaze broke away and Stephen blamed himself that he hadn't told Randy this before. "You know, at the time you asked the captain to partner us up I had reached a point... It's not that I believed them that I'm a bad person, but I felt… worthless…" Slender brows furrowed over the grey eyes which still not looked back at him. "There are times when I'm on my way to the department and I'm scared to go in there," Randy adds but suddenly a tiny, happy and relieved smile pulls at his lips. "But then I tell myself that you're there and…" He didn't end this sentence, said instead: "Silly, I know."

"No, it's not silly," Stephen replied quietly, guiltily. "Why haven't yer told me tha before?"

Maybe he should have felt it. They were spending so much time together and as Randy's best friend he should have known it, should have felt that the wounds Randy had sustained over the time wouldn't heal that quickly.

"Didn't want to bother you with it."

Giving Randy a half-hearted kick with his free foot, Stephen leaned forward, bracing his forearms on the table and quirked an eyebrow at the other man.

"_Nothing_ tha has to do with yer bothers me," he chided him softly, seeing the other man duck his head a little. "Don't think tha. Ever. Okay?" Almost hesitantly Randy looked back up to him, those precious silver orbs deep again… and Stephen fell into their depths. "Yer have no idea how much yer mean to me," he heard himself say while he still fell, deeper and deeper…

There was the faintest of blushes on Randy's cheeks and diamonds in Randy's eyes, and while he kept falling he reached out to those diamonds, holding them close to his heart.

… _more…_ a voice within him whispered.

And maybe, just maybe… Randy heard it. Once more there was a change in his friend's eyes and the knees closed even tighter around his leg. For any reason he suddenly felt as if he needed to wrap his arms around Randy and never let go of him again because there was something pulling at that bond between them and it was strong, pulling him closer to the other man.

"Let's go home," Randy said suddenly, dropping his gaze to the floor and shaking his head softly no as Stephen frowned at him in question.

Confused Stephen followed suit as his friend stood up to leave the pub and as Randy passed him, a faint breeze of Randy's aftershave filled his nostrils. A scent that always caused the warm feeling of being home in him. His own fingers brushed over the other man's wrist briefly and he felt an itch in them to just pull Randy right back and into his arms.

… _best friend… brother… protect him at all costs…_

A mantra that echoed throughout him, every day, every minute and second ever since the day Randy had become a part of his life.

They didn't come far though. They hadn't even reached the exit as someone stepped right into their way, pushing Randy back.

"_You_…" he heard a familiar voice slur, the single word spoken threatening and with it came another push.

Stephen's feet moved before his brain shook the surprise and disappointment off, but Randy's outstretched arm stopped him from reaching the owner of the voice.

"Beckett?" Stephen murmured, gently pushing Randy's arm out of the way to step closer to his former partner.

"Just leave it be, Beckett," Randy replied very calmly, pacifying even, while doing his best to keep Stephen from passing him.

Another push.

"What the hell, Beckett?" Stephen growled.

"We were _partners_, Farrelly! And you replace me by this _fag_ just like that! Is this piece of scum letting you have his ass? Huh?" his former partner hissed while his eyes stayed fixed on Randy the whole time. "The next time you won't get away that easily, Orton."

Stephen watched as Beckett lifted his balled fist, aiming for Randy… and something in him snapped. Pushing Randy aside, he stepped between the two men, stopping his ex-partner's fist mid-air. His fingers wrapped around the other man's hand in a crushing hold while he twisted the hand to the outside. There was the sickening little sound as his own fist collided with Beckett's nose, sending the man back against a table, but Stephen was right there, grabbing him by his shirt to send another blow that caused his ex-partner back onto the table.

His third punch though only hit thin air as arms wrapped around his middle from behind, forcefully pulling him back and away from Beckett who still lay on the table, covering his ruined nose with a hand. Blood was flowing from it, staining clothes, the table… and there was blood on Stephen's fist, too, the rich red standing in a stark contrast to his pale skin.

Like a warning.

His name was said calmingly while the arms stayed tightly wrapped around him, holding him back and it took Stephen a moment to get a grip on himself. Long seconds there was no sound except the still playing music and Stephen's and Beckett's harsh breathing.

This was a local for cops but as he looked around, their colleagues only looked at them, some of them nodding at him, some of them looking at his ex-partner with an expression that said, I'm on your side but sorry, this is your fight. None of them was trying to intervene though.

Randy's hold on him loosened a little but never let go of him as he stepped around him, blocking his view on the lying man. There was a touch on his chest then and fingers wrapping around his wrist, but it was the soothing expression in the grey eyes that grounded him.

"Come on, Stephen. Let's go home, okay?" Randy said quietly, gently steering him backwards and away from the still lingering tension.

The cool nightly air hit them like a clearing breeze, yet it couldn't silence the urge in Stephen to go back in there and finish this, but hands closed around his shoulders and steered him a few meters further away from the door, before he was free again.

"Yer should have let me end this farce," he growled, gazing back to the pub. "This goddamn bastard…"

He felt Randy grab his wrist and lift his blood-stained hand.

"I can't allow that you get into trouble for shit," Randy murmured, wiping the blood off of Stephen's hand.

There was a painful little tug at his heart as he gazed back to Randy, finding a deeply worried expression etched to his friend's face and with a sigh he reached out, laying a hand on the back of the other man's neck to pull him in.

"Listen, this is not _shit_," he said, resting their foreheads together. "This is about _yer_. I know yer always try to take the wind outta their sails by staying calm, but I can't allow a piece of shit like him to treat yer like tha."

This time it was Randy who sighed.

"You broke his nose."

"If yer hadn't stopped me, it wouldn't have been only his nose," Stephen replied lowly. Randy closed his eyes while gently running his thumb over the sore knuckles of Stephen's hand, the small gesture bringing a soft smile to Stephen's lips despite the still lingering angriness. "Stop worrying, okay? Nothing will happen. Beckett's not gonna go to the captain because he knows tha there is a dozen of people who will not hesitate to confirm tha he started it." The thumb stopped brushing over his knuckles then, the hold on his hand becoming firmer instead. "Was he the reason yer wanted to go?"

There was no answer, but the lack of response was answer enough for him. Ever since he'd asked the captain to partner him up with Randy, Beckett had done everything to make Randy's life uncomfortable… to put it in nicer words. Stephen had never really liked Beckett and he doubted that Beckett liked him as much as he pretended to, but he knew that his ex-partner had… problems… with homosexuality. He'd often enough witnessed the other man act or comment inapropriate when it came to that topic. So the fact that he'd been replaced by a… fag… was for sure enough reason for Beckett to take it out on Randy.

The worst thing was that Stephen had thought the whole time that the situation had calmed down while it obviously hadn't.

"What has happened?" he asked.

"Not important," Randy muttered and pulled back, but Stephen's hand on the back of his neck held him close.

"Randy…" he urged softly. "I promise I won't go back in there, okay? But I need to know what has happened."

Again a sigh, heavy, defeated. And also a bit relieved maybe.

"Two days ago he and two of his friends caught me off in the basement garage and had me cornered." Randy's voice was very quiet as he spoke. He let go of Stephen's hand, only to curl his fingers in Stephen's shirt. "He asked me if… if I'm your slut… Huh. Then someone came in and they let me go. Don't know what would have happened…"

"Fuck…" Stephen breathed shocked. "Fuck, Randy, why haven't yer told me…?"

Curling his arm around his friend's neck, Stephen pulled him into a tight embrace while his mind swept back to the day before yesterday, blaming himself that he hadn't noticed anything, that he had been that blind. And he tried not to think about what could have happened if someone hadn't come in…

"He's not worth it, Stephen. One day you'll get yourself too deep into trouble for me and I can't let that happen. I just can't, okay? I can't lose you, not as my partner, nor as my friend."

"Maybe he's not worth it, but _yer_ are, yer goddamn stubborn idiot."

Randy pulled away again, not far though, just so that their faces where only a few inches apart as he said hushed: "You can't hover over me like a guardian angel the whole time, I…"

"I can," Stephen cut him off, his voice a mere whisper. "And I will." Those words passed his lips and they were nothing more and nothing less than a promise he would keep, even if it was the last fucking thing he would do in his life. "I don't wanna find yer beaten up one day." Randy opened his mouth to say something, probably to tell him that this wouldn't happen, but no words left his lips. They both _knew_ it could happen. "Randy… I don't know what I would do if something happened to yer…"

Stephen's words were breathed away as Randy took a deep breath and suddenly it was back, that humming, filling the little bit of space between them. _He loved Randy._ This man was his best friend, his family. Yet again there was something else, lacing heavily into the moment. It drew him in…

It was the sound of the door to the pub being opened that made Randy step away from Stephen and the pang of regret Stephen felt about it mirrored on Randy's face before they wordlessly began to walk to the car. Their ride to Randy's apartment was quiet, too, and more than once Stephen looked over to his friend who was looking out of side window with a somewhat distant gaze, yet there was a faint smile on his lips. Obviously Randy was lost in thoughts and he let him have his peace.

The way wasn't long and soon they reached their destination. Too soon... and maybe he wasn't the only one feeling like this, because after the motor died down, they both sat there for a moment in silence, just looking at each other. No, the evening wasn't supposed to end so soon…

"Can I crash on yer couch?" Stephen asked quietly, because he really didn't want to go yet and there was this feeling in him that demanded to be near Randy tonight.

"Yeah," Randy replied as quietly, a _please_ lingering underneath.

In the fuzzy light of the streetlights which barely illuminated the room around them, Randy's eyes seemed to be liquid silver with a veiled burning lying in them, but the expression on his face was unfamiliar shy and here Stephen sat and all he could think of was to touch Randy's face.

His hands twitched a little…

_... bronze skin... shimmering softly in the sunlight... the glistening of a thin sheen of sweat..._

His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath...

_... cat-like movements... chiseled muscles flexing under sun-kissed skin..._

It was getting stronger again, that humming...

_... the faint and warm scent of fresh sweat and aftershave and something uniquely Randy..._

Slender eyebrows furrowed over silver orbs just a little bit... before Randy shook his head ever so slightly, turning away from him to get out of the car. A second later Stephen followed, scrubbing his hands through his face while walking behind his partner, looking without really seeing because his thoughts still clung to the vivid memories which kept invading his mind over and over again. Unlocking the door, Randy let him pass. The only light in the apartment was the one which was falling through the big glass windows, bathing it in a soft nightly robe. The door fell close. And Stephen turned around.

Blue met grey. The world around them faded out as Stephen watched that grey darken, the veil lifting from the burning in them and it blazed brightly... bright enough to set him on fire. His mind... stepped back...

Lips crashed in a kiss that was fierce, demanding and needy, tongues battling for dominance as they moved towards the bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind, ripped off of each other by eager hands, roaming, tugging, digging, feeling... pushing... holding close...

A groan escaped Stephen's throat as Randy nipped hard on his bottom lip, before he was being shoved backwards. His quiet grunt as his back hit the mattress had barely the chance to be heard, because it got stuck in his throat as his eyes found back to Randy who was still standing there, looking at him like a starving man while he peeled out of the last few pieces of clothes. The dull light seemed to cascade down the chiseled body, the sight picturesque to the eye and although it was a cold light, it fuelled the fire in Stephen. He'd never really considered having sex with a man and maybe the fact that he was turned on by a man should have been at least odd… but he wasn't thinking. He was _feeling_... wanted... he fucking _needed_ to feel him, to be buried inside this piece of art… to hear that fucking sexy voice moan his name.

"Like what you see, big guy?" Randy said, the low rumbling voice husky and fuck, yes, forbidden sexy.

"Fuck, yeah…" Stephen breathed, his eyes wandering over the mouthwatering sight.

_Too goddamn beautiful... _a voice in the back of his mind whipered as Randy moved to crawl on to the bed to kneel between his legs, the gaze of those intense grey orbs piericing deep into him before Randy leaned down to run his tongue along the length of Stephen's rock-hard but still boxers-clad cock. A shuddering breath passed Stephen's lips, anticipation and arousal spiking throughout him. Lifting his head a little, Randy gazed up to him, the gleam in his eyes possessive, the expression on his face predatory… like a cat ready to pounce. Fingers hooked under the waistband of his boxers, pulling them down and in a blink the piece of fabric landed somewhere in the semi-darkness.

A groan ripped from his throat as Randy leaned back in and wrapped his lips around his cock, going all the way down. Teeth gently grazed the sensitive flesh as Randy began to bob his head, sucking, licking, deep-throating the throbbing flesh, sending the fire running through Stephen. One of Stephen's hand fisted the sheets while the other found to Randy's shoulder to anchor himself somehow and it was all he could do because he was caught in the sight and lost in the sensations Randy was causing in him.

He breathed a disappointed hiss as Randy drew back. His heart was pounding hard in his chest as he watched the other man retrieve a small bottle from the bedside drawer, squeezing some of its content on his palm.

There was a quiet voice deep in the fog that engulfed his mind that said that they hadn't lost about who would top, but the voice drowned somewhere in the mist as Randy quickly spread the cool gel on Stephen's member, growling: "I need you... _now_."

Stephen's long, low groan as Randy straddled him and impaled himself on the hard flesh mingled into Randy's moan, the dull pain of blunt nails digging into the skin as Randy braced on his chest, his fingers clawing into the thick muscles, made the wave of pleasure that surged through only stronger. His hands found to Randy's thighs, holding on to him as he tried to catch his breath.

"_Holy shit_… Randy… yer are so tight…"

Randy's eyes were closed, his bottom lip caught between his teeth. There was barely grey left in his eyes Stephen noticed as the other man slowly opened them again, the dimness that engulfed them making them look even darker and endlessly deep. In those depths… there was something raw…

"Fuck, Stephen… so big…"

Randy's hands stayed on the broad chest as he began to move his hips back and forth, slowly in the beginning but soon the pace got quicker. Randy's breathy noises, those mewls and moans which dropped from his lips rained down on Stephen, trickled into his own sounds of lust and the other man rode him harder, faster, the hot walls clenching around his cock. The tan skin glistened sliver in the the dim light, slick with a thin sheen of sweat and in the blind need to feel more, Stephen reached out, running his hands over the heated skin, feeling, mapping, caressing, taking in how the muscles flexed under the smooth skin.

Blood buzzed in Stephen's ears, pumping a wildfire through his veins, bright hot and consuming and bringing his hands to Randy's hips, he grabbed them to pull him down while thrusting up hard. The whorish moan he drew from Randy shot straight to his cock, making it throb wildly in the quivering body above him that seemed to greedily suck at the hard flesh.

Bracing on one hand, Stephen pushed himself into a sitting position, his free arm wrapping around Randy's back to hold him close as he latched on his neck, sucking and nibbling on soft skin and one day old beard stubble. One of Randy's hands dove into his hair, curling into the red strands to tug his head back and his low growl was swallowed down as Randy claimed his mouth in a rough kiss.

"You feel so fucking good in me…" Randy panted against his lips as the kiss broke, dropping a hand dropping to his neglected dick.

Again Randy brought their lips together for a rough, demanding kiss, angling his head to devour Stephen's mouth as he slammed his hips down hard and fast, again and again, while Stephen thrust up, driving deep into the tight, clutching heat. Waves of searing hot pleasure rolled through him and the feeling of that solid body moving against him, around him caused jolts of lust to spread throughout him until he felt a tension build up in him that pulled him down into a haze as it got stronger with every passing second, with every breathless moan Randy was gracing him with.

Breaking the kiss, he searched the other man's eyes. Eyes which were hodded, dazed and burning with lust. It was pulling him in, that sight, kept him prisoner, carrying closer to his release. Too soon he felt his body tingle under the pleasure, felt bright hot pleasure coil up in his stomach.

Through the haze of his arriving peak he faintly felt Randy's movements become erratic and it was the only warning he got before Randy breathed: "Stephen… 'm gonna…"

The words faded over in a loud, drawnout groan as Randy came, spurting his cum over their bellies, his body clenching tightly around Stephen's cock, pulling him over the edge. With shuddering moan Stephen let go, let himself fall as the pleasure within him unfurled, his orgasm ripping through him. With one last thrust he buried himself deep in Randy's ass, shooting his cum deep into the hot body.

They stilled and for long seconds the world around them stilled, too. Soft jolts of electricity kept fleeting through him, causing his skin to prick and shivers to run down his spine. Everything narrowed on this moment. Stephen's heart was still pounding hard in his chest and through their touching chests he could feel Randy's heart beat as hard and fast as his own. Opening his eyes, he was met by clouded grey ones, their gaze a bit distant even, but there was the heavy glow of contentment lying in them. And wasn't there a small smile ghosting on those perfect lips? Another shiver ran down his spine as the fingers in his hair moved, brushing through it in a gentle caress and with Randy's name as nothing more than a sigh on his lips, Stephen buried his face in the crook of his friend's neck, holding on to he heated body in is arms tighter while still riding on the waves of the aftermath. He felt Randy rest his cheek against his hair, felt him wrap an arm around his shoulders while the other hand stayed in his hair.

The moment was too perfect, felt too good to let it end and for long moments they just held on to each other.

But eventually they had to move. With reluctance Stephen let go of the other man who moved to sit on the edge of the bed, reaching for his boxers which were lying beside the bed to wipe the his cum off both their bellies. Randy was ridiculously pliant as Stephen pulled him down to lie beside him, their shoulders touching lightly as they both lay on their backs. Turning his head a bit to the side, Stephen let his eyes roam Randy's face. His friend's features were smooth, his eyes hooded while he gazed up to the ceiling and it was still there, this oh so faint smile.

The silence which had settled over the room was a comfortable one. One that didn't need to be filled with words. After a moment Randy moved again, turning onto his side, facing Stephen. His forearm was touching Stephen's arm as he leaned a bit closer and that contented glow was still there in the grey orbs, shining a bit brighter as Randy graced him with a smile so warm and affectionate that it made Stephen forget how to breathe for a moment, before Randy closed his eyes.

Minutes passed while Stephen kept gazing at him, his own mind pleasently empty while he was feeling warm and happy. Eventually he heard Randy's breathing become slow and shallow and closing his eyes, he allowed the soft sound to carry him towards sleep…

**X**

_Conciousness whispered to him while the velvet fingers of sleep tried to lure him back down, the gentle back and forth leaving him drifting in a twilight between being awake and being asleep. A soft tingling of contentment and happiness was running through him. There was a wonderful warmth pressed all along his side, the quiet sound of calm breathing and the nice feeling of a hard yet soft body in his arm._

_Cracking his eyes open, he looked down. And he smiled. Randy looked so peaceful and young, so free of any worriy. A rare sight. He'd seen it a few times before, only the briefest of moments though because he'd never dared to gaze at his sleeping friend longer. So… he could use this chance now. They've had sex, so gazing at a sleeping Randy was okay, wasn't it? Nothing creepy about it._

_There was a soft sigh as Randy shifted against him, wrapping an arm around Stephen's middle while hooking a leg over his own and with a whisper on Randy's lips that carried Stephen's name, he nuzzled his face against the broad chest his head was resting on._

"_Gonna keep yer safe, Randy. Promise…"_

Lost in his thoughts, Stephen sat at the kitchen table with a steaming coffee in his hands, his eyes fixed on the tasty breakfast he'd prepared, yet he was gazing back to the last night and the memories left a silly grin on his face that morphed to a soft smile, as his mind jumped to those moments after he'd woken up. It stayed there for a while because having Randy lying plastered all along him with his head resting on his chest had made him feel good. So good in fact that it had taken him a few minutes to realize that he'd been running his fingertips in a gentle caress over Randy's back. But that, too, wasn't creepy, was it? They had always been tactile with each other and okay, it had reached a new level now with a richer quality.

He wasn't in love with Randy but fuck, yes, he loved him and he liked having him close like that. Friends with benefits…

The quiet sound of naked feet on parquet reached his ears and called him back to the here and now and only a second later Randy entered the room, slowly walking in. Smiling, Stephen looked up to him, but his smile died at the expression he found on Randy's face. He didn't even have a name for what he found there, but there were traces of guilt, sadness, apology...

Stephen was about to ask what was wrong as Randy said quietly: „You're still here..."

It wasn't really a question, yet in a way it _was_ one.

"Where else should I be?" Stephen asked puzzled as he got up from his chair, stepping up to Randy who stood in the middle of the kitchen. And then a thought crossed his mind… what if he doesn't want me to be here, after what last night has happened? What if Randy felt uncomfortable now having him close? His heart clenched painfully. What if he had destroyed the best friendship of his whole life by giving in to his craving for his best friend? But everything had been okay before they fell asleep… "Or… do you want me to go?" he added, his voice unfamiliar small to his own ears.

The grey eyes widened a bit.

"No!" Randy whispered, reaching out to curl his fingers into Stephen's shirt as if he could suddenly vanish if he didn't. "No… I just... when I woke up and you weren't there, I thought that you've… left. I thought that I've ruined it…" He took a shaky breath, closing his eyes briefly. "I love you, Stephen, but not _that_ way. You're my best friend… I shouldn't have let it happen, I…"

With a sigh Stephen brought a hand to the back of Randy's head, leaning in to rest their foreheads together.

"Hey, stop worrying. We're not in love with each other but we had sex. So what? We had some fun and tha's okay. It changes nothing, we're still best friends," he murmured reassuringly. "Yer are still the most important person in my life." Randy's other hand came up to fist into Stephen's shirt, too, pulling him closer. "It was amazing, by the way."

A tiny, breathless laughter passed Randy's lips.

"Yeah, it was," he breathed, any trace of what Stephen had seen on his face fading quickly

"Can we do tha again?" Stephen whispered, wrapping his arm around the lean waist to hold the other man tight against him while gently steering him backwards towards the counter.

Perching on it, Randy hooked his feet behind Stephen's knees and drew back a bit, his eyes roaming over his face. There was a sparkling in them.

"So… you really want us to have some _fun_ again?" Randy purred.

"Oh yeah… Do yer have any idea how godddamn _hot_ yer are, Orton?" Stephen growled softly, brushing his lips over Randy's in a featherlight touch, taking a deep breath that filled his senses with the well-known scent of Randy's aftershave and… _Randy_.

"Pretty hot I guess if a straight man wants my ass so badly, big guy…" Randy smirked while one of his hands travelled up to his friends hair, gently grabbing the red strands.

Wanting to steal a kiss, Stephen tilted his head a little, but the hand in his hair stopped him from following Randy as he drew back again with a _nu-oh_ on his lips. It made him want that kiss only more.

"Maybe I'm not as straight as we both thought?"

"Or maybe I made you gay?"

"Yeah, maybe… can live with tha…" Stephen murmured, again trying to steal a kiss. Without success. "I swear, Orton, if yer don't give me tha kiss right now, then..."

The smirk on Randy's lips grew.

"Then… what? You gonna fuck me raw?"

_Tease…_

"No, then I'm gonna leave you sitting here to take care of this alone," Stephen growled, dropping his hand to Randy's already much interested cock, receveing something between a low hum and a stifled moan. "Or yer give me tha kiss and we can talk about tha fucking yer raw thi…"

He never managed to end the sentence. Lips sealed over his own in a kiss that took the breath right out of him, while the hand in his hair held his head in place. Shifting a little, Randy lifted his legs to wrap them around Stephen's waist and there was a spark of electricity as their cocks pressed against each other. He got lost in Randy's taste on his tongue, in his scent filling his nostrils… in the feeling of this perfect, warm body pressed up against him and maybe it should have felt weird, but it didn't. This maybe wasn't _love_, but it was safe to say that he was addicted and fuck, he didn't regret anything.

… speaking of fuck…

Lifting Randy from the counter, he began to walk over to the living room, felt the legs around his waist tighten, felt Randy's other arm wrap around his neck while Randy kept devouring his mouth.

Breakfast could wait… because first he had something much more delicious to taste…

* * *

**Got some words for me? *makes puppy eyes***


End file.
